


i'm drawing perfect circles round the life that we could share

by krakeneggs



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-12 18:42:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5676556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krakeneggs/pseuds/krakeneggs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Rey, I need you to be my girlfriend.”<br/>“...what?”</p><p>Ben needs a date to his cousin’s wedding, and the only person who can help him is Rey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Ben, you’re bringing your girlfriend to Jacen’s wedding, right?” Leia asked, her voice crackling over the phone. She still called him Ben, even after he started going by Kylo Ren.

“Uh, what?” He didn’t have a girlfriend.

“You told me three months ago that you’d be bringing your girlfriend.” Her tone was somewhat accusing.

“Oh, yeah, right.” When Jacen sent out his wedding invitations, his mother had called him, asking about his plus one. Kylo didn’t have a girlfriend at the time, but to please Leia, he lied and said that he did. He knew it would come back to haunt him. God fucking damnit. “She’ll be there.”

“Good. Grandma Padmé’s looking forward to meeting her.” He could hear the smug smile in his mom’s voice.

“And she will.” Kylo was panicking internally. Where was he going to get a girlfriend?

“Mhm. Dad says hi. And I have to go now, love you!” She hung up.

Raking a hand through his hair, Ben thought of every single girl that he knew. Not that he knew a lot. But there was only one who would be willing to help him.

-

_Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong!_

Rey groaned, rolling over. She glanced over at the clock on her nightstand. The LED numbers flashed 9:38 AM. Who the fuck was ringing her doorbell this early? And why wasn’t Finn answering the door?

Wrapping her blanket around her shoulders, Rey trudged downstairs to the front door. She looked through the peephole. Kylo Ren, in his usual black leather jacket, stood at her doorstep.

Kylo blinked as the door opened. Rey stood in front of him; still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, part of her blanket curled in her fist.

“Kylo, what the fuck?” She squinted at him, the sunlight too blinding for her eyes. Monday mornings were never good for her.

“Rey, I need you to be my girlfriend.” He probably shouldn’t have led with that, considering her bleary-eyed state of weariness, but how else would he get her attention?

She paused, wondering if she heard wrong. She could hardly function in the mornings without a cup of coffee. “...what.”

“I. Need. You. To be. My. Girlfriend.” He repeated slowly.

“I heard you the first time. What, as in, why the fuck are you asking me this at 9 in the morning?” It was too damn early for Rey.

“Look, can I come in? I promise I’ll explain everything.” He pleaded.

She relented, stepping aside to let Kylo Ren into her house.

-

It’s not that they hated each other. They could be called friends, on a certain level. Even if they were both incredibly competitive with each other during college, vying for his uncle Luke’s attention and praise. Luke was their psychology professor.

Kylo sat in one of the armchairs, while Rey shuffled around in the kitchen, the blanket still draped around her shoulders. Beebee, her tabby, walked towards him and nuzzled at his feet. He reached down to gently pet her head.

“Coffee?” She asked.

“No, thanks.” He declined. “I already had some.”

“Okay, so tell me more about this ‘proposal’ of yours.” She smirked at him. “I’ll accept nothing less than a diamond ring and a fancy dinner with Michael Bublé singing.”

If he rolled his eyes any further back, they’d be permanently stuck there. “Just sit down and I’ll talk.”

“Make me.”

Kylo looked around. Small potted plants sat by the windowsill. Instead of art pieces, several photographs hung in their place. Rey and Finn were the main subjects, with Poe occasionally appearing in a few. Finn used to hang out with Kylo and his friends, until he met Poe and Rey. Speaking of, where was her roommate?

“Where’s your roommate?” Not that he really cared, but he was just curious, considering Finn seemed to be a constant presence at her side.

“Oh, right.” She glanced around, before pulling a white sticky note off of the fridge. “According to this, he went out with Poe. Aw, I didn’t know you cared.”

“I don’t. So let’s talk about me now.” Rey moved over to the sofa, setting a steaming cup of coffee onto the coffee table in front of her. “My cousin Jacen is getting married this Saturday, and I told my mom that I’d bring my girlfriend, which I don’t actually have.”

“Yeah, wonder why that is.” She muttered under her breath. Kylo silenced her with a glare.

“Basically, I just need you to be my girlfriend for the weekend. You’ll just have to meet my family, be my date for the wedding, and pretend to be in love with me.”

“Yeah, but why me?” Rey tilted her head and looked questioningly at him. “Why should I help you? Why not any of your other girl friends?”

He avoided her inquiring gaze.

“I like you more than most girls I know.” He mumbled. “You’re tolerable.”

“I’m sorry, what was that?” A smile twitched at the corners of her lips. Damn her.

“I like you more than most girls I know.” He repeated, louder this time.

“You’re gonna have to speak up.”

“I like you more than most girls I know!” His booming voice filled the room. Beebee darted away at the increase in volume.

“Aw, I’m flattered.” Rey grinned, setting a hand over her heart. “I can’t believe I never knew about your true feelings for me.”

He barely refrained from rolling his eyes.

He sighed. “So, Rey, will you be my fake girlfriend?” He looked into her eyes.

“Oh, of course I will!” She said, her voice adopting a high pitch.

“But what’s in it for me?” Always a catch with her. “I mean, you get to fool your family and you get me pretending to _adore_ you, but what do I get out of it?”

“I’ll owe you a favour.” Kylo never liked owing anyone anything. But he really needed someone to be his fake girlfriend.

“Deal.” Rey stuck her hand out. Rolling his eyes, he firmly grasped her hand and shook it.

“Just try to resist falling in love with me.” She winked.

“Your pajamas _are_ irresistible.” He nodded to her sleepwear, which had multicoloured cats printed all over them.

“Oh, shit, am I going to have to kiss you?” Her eyes widened. He only smirked in return.


	2. Chapter 2

“You’re doing what?” Finn paced around in Rey’s bedroom, as she packed for her upcoming trip to Hoth.

“I’m just going away for the weekend. You’ll have the whole house to yourself.” She folded a black shirt and put it into her suitcase.

“Yeah, you’re going away. With Kylo Ren.” Pot sat in an armchair in the corner of the room, arms crossed over his chest.

“To be his fake girlfriend!” Finn cried, waving his arms around angrily.

“We don’t even talk to him!” Poe really didn’t like Kylo.

“Look, it’s my choice.” She stopped packing to stare at them. “He needs my help. And he’ll owe me a favour. I’ll be fine.”

“You’re probably going to have to kiss him.” Poe made a disgusted face at the thought. Finn nodded in agreement.

“Probably, but he’s paying for my plane ticket, and we get to stay at a fancy hotel, and free booze at the wedding.” Rey grinned at the idea of it. “Any negative sides to this, trust me, I’ve already thought about it.”

“Fine, but I still don’t trust you with him!” Finn crossed his arms grumpily.

“Oh, Finn, I can take care of myself.” She said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Okay, we don’t need any details about you and Kylo Ren.” Poe covered his ears with his hands.

“But Poe, don’t you want to hear all about how we’ll-“ Rey walked over to him.

“Ah! I don’t want to hear it either!” Finn interrupted.

“I’m just kidding guys. Nothing will happen.” She reassured them. “Oh, and you have to remember to feed Beebee. I don’t want to come home to a dead cat.”

“Who knows if she’ll even recognize you when you get back?” Poe joked.

She walked toward her best friends, pulling them both into a group hug. “Guys, I’m not dying! I’ll be back by Monday at the latest. Just try not to destroy the house while I’m gone.”

-

_Kylo: Where are you?_

_Rey: chill im almost there :P_

Kylo glared at his phone. It was just like Rey to be late. They couldn’t miss their flight. He would never admit it to her, but he was nervous. He hadn’t seen any of his family, excluding Luke, since he left Hoth eight years ago.

“Don’t.” He felt Rey’s presence before she could sneak up on him. Not that she’d be able to scare him.

“Don’t what? Do this?” She wrapped her arms around him. “I’m your girlfriend, _Ben_.”

Only his family still called him Ben, and since Rey was supposed to be posing as his girlfriend, he reluctantly let her call him by his given name.

“Let. Go.” He hissed.

“Oh come on, Ben. Be a little nicer to your girlfriend.” She teasingly nudged an elbow against his side. He just rolled his eyes.

-

“Okay, let’s just go over everything again.” He pulled out his tablet as soon as they settled into their seats. He opened up the album containing pictures of all the family members she needed to recognize.

“That’s your dad, Han Solo.” The smirk was familiar. The same one would appear on Ben’s face whenever he’d bested her in something. He swiped to the next photo. “That’s your mom, Leia Skywalker-Solo, but she’ll probably let me call her Mrs. Solo.

As he moved onto each picture, Rey was able to accurately name all of the relevant relatives. She already knew his uncle Luke Skywalker and his wife Mara Jade. She got his cousin Jacen Skywalker, Jacen’s fiancée Danielle soon-to-be Skywalker, Grandma Padmé, Grand-Uncle Thaddeus Snoke, and his second cousin Electra Phasma, all correctly named. Good.

“We met in college and of course, you were smitten the moment you met me.” Rey flashed a smile at him. He was already regretting letting her choose their back story. “But because you’re really bad at flirting, you just fought with me since you think that’s smooth. Eventually, you finally asked me out, and we’ve been dating in secret for five months.”

“It’s a love story for the ages. We’ll tell our grandchildren.” Ben deadpanned.

“That’s the spirit.” Rey pinched his cheek affectionately. “Okay, what’s my favourite colour?”

“What?”

“My favourite colour. What is it?”

“Why is that relevant?” He looked at her incredulously.

“Fine, whatever.” She turned to face the window, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Forgive me for trying to make our fake relationship more believable.”

An awkward silence passed.

“Ruby red.” Rey didn’t turn around.

“Your favourite colour is ruby red, the same as your car.” He said, louder this time. She shifted, looking at him.

“I’m sorry if I was rude. I’m just stressed about messing this up.” He admitted.

“I’m sorry. I’m nervous too. What if your family is clever enough to see right through us?”

“Yeah, when you actually meet them, you won’t think that anymore.” She laughed.

-

Rey couldn’t sleep on planes. The last time she slept on a plane, her parents dropped her off with the Ridleys and never looked back. The Ridleys were good to her as she grew up. But something like that leaves scars. Even though she was 24 and technically a responsible adult, she couldn’t bring herself to fall asleep on a plane.

Ben was the opposite. As soon as the plane took off, within ten minutes he was out like a light. It wouldn’t have been a problem, except his massive head was practically crushing her shoulder. After five hours, it had gone beyond the point of numb. If she wasn’t looking at it, Rey couldn’t have been sure that her arm was still attached.

He nuzzled deeper into the space between her neck and shoulder. Wavy black hair brushed against her cheek. The scent of cinnamon and leather filled her nose. It wasn’t terrible. She absentmindedly wondered how he would taste. Wait.

“Rey, what the fuck?” She whispered to herself. She was starting to lose it. Probably the result of having a numb arm for hours. She turned away from Ben, opting to stare out of the window instead.

-

Ben slowly roused back to consciousness. They had arrived at Hoth. He blinked, realizing that he had fallen asleep on Rey’s shoulder.

“Did you know your head is really fucking heavy?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay it's chapter 2! i'm like 6 chapters into writing this so that's good right???  
> oh also idk but i'm thinking about taking requests for some reylo drabbles?? idk hit me up on my tumblr to find out more??
> 
> coolcephalopod.tumblr.com


	3. Chapter 3

Hoth was covered in snow and blew with biting wind. Luckily, the wedding was going to be held indoors, at the Echo Base Hotel, which was where Ben and Rey were staying.

“Wow.” Her eyes were filled with wonder as she walked into their room. Dropping her bag, Rey ran over and jumped onto the King sized bed. She spread her arms and legs out, stretching with a content sigh. Ben took a deep breath, looking away from her, ignoring his thoughts about her like that underneath him.

She took her phone and started to text.

_To: Finn, Poe_

_Rey: dw safe at the hotel now :)_

_Poe: If he tries anything, I’ll kick his ass._

_Finn: >:)_

_Rey: thanks <3_

“Dibs on the right side of the bed.” Ben turned the TV on, moving to sit at the end of the bed.

“What?” Rey sat up in surprise.

“Dibs. On the. Right-“

“No, shut the fuck up. You know what I meant.” Her leg stretched out to gently kick him in the head.

“Ow.” He said flatly. “Look at that sofa. It’s way too small for me to sleep on. Unless you’d rather sleep on it?”

“No, thanks. Just stay on your side of the bed.” She said, after glancing at the small sofa in the corner. A yawn escaped her mouth.

“You should get ready for bed. It wouldn’t look good to have my girlfriend pass out from exhaustion at the wedding tomorrow.” He looked at her, amusement in his eyes.

“Oh, sweetie, don’t worry about me.” She replied sarcastically. Rey hopped off of the bed, walking over to her suitcase. She laid it on its side to unzip it. Pulling out a neatly folded set of pajamas and her night routine bag, she retreated to the bathroom.

After a short five minutes, Rey came out of the washroom, dressed in a t-shirt and leggings. He avoided noticing the way the shirt, which was probably a size too small, stretched across her chest. She tossed her clothes onto her suitcase and moved to sit on the left side of the bed. Rey started to move some of the several pillows to the middle of the bed.

“What are you doing?” Ben asked.

“Creating a barrier.” She said as if it was the most normal thing in the world. “I don’t want to wake up with your arms around me. Because I will push you off the bed, I swear to god.”

“Oh, but don’t you want to practice?” He winked at her. She rolled her eyes and continued to set up the pillows.

“Okay, well goodnight then.” Ben tossed his jacket and shirt over the sofa. His shoes and jeans went by the bench at the end of the bed. His socks and black boxers stayed on. Her eyes briefly glanced up at him. She pretended not to notice the fact that he was shirtless, the size of his biceps, or the way his defined abs looked.

“Goodnight.” She avoided making eye contact with him and released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding as he went into the washroom.

_Get it together, Rey. It’s Ben fucking Solo, for god’s sake._ She thought as she burrowed into the covers, facing away from the bathroom door, choosing to stare at the balcony doors instead. Rey tried to suppress the odd feeling rising in her chest. Sleep didn’t come easy for her that night.

 

-

“Rey, wake up.” Ben gently shook her. She just groaned and burrowed her face deeper into the pillow.

“Rey.” He shook her again, firmer this time.

“Damnit, Rey. Wake the fuck up.” He sat on her.

“This is the only time you’ll ever be on top.” She snorted, voice muffled by the pillow.

“Haha, funny.” He laughed sarcastically. “Just wake up.”

“Ben, fuck off.” She tried to wiggle out from underneath him.

“It’s eleven AM. We need to be down there by twelve thirty.” He reminded her.

“Fine. Get off of me.” Her head turned to look at him.

“Good girl.” He patted the top of her head and moved to the edge of the bed.

She glared at him. “Are you...dressed already?”

“I woke up at seven AM.” He said.

“Jesus fucking christ.” She shuffled off to the bathroom.

Approximately an hour later, after 3 episodes of some old sitcom Ben used to like, Rey finally exited the bathroom.

“Hey boyfriend.” She leaned against the wall seductively, grin plastered on her face. One hand supported her head, while the other relaxed by her legs, holding a clutch.

“Wow. You look great.” He offered sincerely. She wore a sleeveless black dress that flared out at the waist, which helped accentuate her figure. Her hair was in loose waves curling around her face, as opposed to her usual hairstyle of three buns at the back of her head. Her lips were decorated with an inviting shade of red.

“Damn right I do.” She grinned proudly. “Ready to go?”

“Girlfriend.” He stood up, smoothing out his crisp black suit before extending a hand towards her.

“Boyfriend.” She walked up to him, gently placing a hand on his forearm.

-

The ceremony was going to be held in a room separate from the reception. Chairs were set up on either side of the aisle, which led to the flowered arch where the bride and groom would stand. An organ sat in the corner. Rey noticed more than half of the seats were already filled. Low whispers filled the room.

“Hello!” A cheerful usher greeted them. “Bride or groom?”

“Groom.” Ben replied.

“Names, please?” She asked.

“Ben Solo and Rey Ridley.” Rey and Ben were directed to the table to sign the guest book. The usher soon reappeared, leading the two to the right side of the chairs, seating them in the fourth row, right next to Han and Leia. Rey noticed Professor Skywalker and his wife in the second row.

“Ben, sweetie, you made it.” Leia grinned at her son. “And you brought your girlfriend.”

“Guess she’s real after all.” Han said with a shrug.

“Yes, she’s real. Mom, dad, I’d like you to meet Rey Ridley, my girlfriend.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Solo.” Rey leaned forward to smile at the couple. Han nodded at her, a polite smile on his face.

“Pretty and polite, too. You really know how to pick them.” Leia smiled back.

“Oh, you have no idea.” Ben muttered under his breath. His mother opened her mouth, but the wedding march began. All the guests rose and turned to look expectantly at the entrance.

A small boy, who looked to be six years old, entered, carrying a red pillow with two rings tied to it. Two flower girls, twins, who were around nine years old, scattered rose petals on the floor. Finally, the bride entered. Accompanied by her father, she walked down the aisle smiling, stopping in front of Jacen, who stood at the arch.

The guests sat back down in their seats. Rey sighed inwardly. She forgot how boring weddings could be. Although she had only been to a few, she knew the ceremonies were all a long and tiring process. The boredom usually outweighed her ability to be emotional enough to cry.

The minister began by talking about marriage. Rey tuned him out. It felt like hours passed before she was aware of Ben sniffling beside her. His eyes had a glassy look to him.

“Aw, are you crying?” She leaned up to whisper.

“Well, I’m sorry for having the capacity to feel basic human emotions!” He whispered back, just loud enough for Leia to nudge him in the side.

Lowering her voice to a deep murmur, she tilted her mouth closer to his ear. “I never said there was anything wrong with it. I just always assumed you were too cold-hearted to cry.”

He just rolled his eyes at her.

“You may now kiss the bride.” The minister announced. Jacen leaned in, pulling his wife close and into a passionate kiss. The guests cheered. Rey cheered because it was finally over. The minister finished the ceremony with a blessing, and Jacen and Danielle Skywalker walked down the aisle as husband and wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry that updates are slow. :(
> 
> also yeah i just took random names from the EU, jacen is a skywalker for plot reasons. (danielle is just an altered name based off of danni quee, one of jacen's eu lovers idk)
> 
> coolcephalopod.tumblr.com (where you can request stuff if you want to)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry updates are slow :(
> 
> stick around for the end of the chapter for another note about this

It was always the reception that made weddings tolerable to Rey. There was cake, free food, alcohol and dancing.

Following Jacen and Danielle, all of the guests exited the ceremony and moved into the room next door for the reception. Slowly, Ben and Rey made their way to their assigned table. Decorative place cards showed them where their seats were. Ben sat next to Rey and Leia, while Rey sat between Ben and one of the flower girls, whose name she learned was Amy. Amy was Annie’s twin and they were the daughters of Jaina, Jacen’s twin and Luke’s daughter. Luke, his wife Mara Jade, Han, Leia, Jaina, her husband Phil, and their children Annie and Amy, all sat at the same table as Rey and Ben.

After a large amount of shuffling and chatter, everyone was finally seated. The round tables were arranged in an open half-circle, with the bride and groom sitting at the opening of the semicircle.

Danielle’s father thanked all of the guests for attending, and then the meals were served. As the guests ate, various members of the family went up to toast the newlyweds.

Rey only half paid attention, instead focusing on eating and drinking.

“So, Rey.” Leia turned to her halfway through the main course. “How did you and Ben meet?”

“As I recall, the two of you would argue constantly in my class.” His sister’s question caught Luke’s attention.

“As they say, opposites attract!” Rey smiled, entwining her hand in his. “Ben, _babe_ , why don’t you tell them?”

He almost choked on the water he was drinking. “But Rey, you’re a much better storyteller than I am.”

“Weren’t you the one on the plane who said that we had, and I quote, ‘a love story for the ages’?” She smirked. The entire table, with the exception of the twins Annie and Amy, was staring at them.

Oh, how he regretted ever saying those words.

“You’re right.” Ben took a deep breath. “Rey and I met in college. I knew from the moment I saw her, that I wanted to be with her. She was brilliant and beautiful and impossibly stubborn. That was what attracted me to her, really. She was so determined and so unwavering in her morals, that I hardly had the courage to ask her out. But finally, five months ago, I asked her to be my girlfriend, and this is our first time officially announcing it.”

He turned to look at Rey, his brown eyes staring lovingly into her hazel ones. She responded by smiling and he noticed a light dusting of pink on her cheeks.

“Okay, guys, try not to outshine Jacen and Danielle on their wedding day.” Jaina joked. And just like that, the moment between Rey and Ben was broken. The adults returned to eating, and listening to the toasts.

“The stuff you said about me was pretty sweet, even if it was just for show.” Rey leaned in to whisper. “Thanks.”

She hesitated briefly, before gently pressing her lips to his cheek. A faint red mark from her lipstick was imprinted on his cheek. His skin tingled as she pulled away, unclasping her hand from his. It was Ben’s turn to blush.

-

After all the speeches and toasts finished, and the food was eaten, it was time for the newlyweds’ first dance. A slow romance song started to play over the speakers. Jacen and Danielle made their way to the center, waltzing across the dance floor.

Soon, they finished their first dance, and other couples moved to join them on the dance floor. Other guests moved around to mingle.

“I’m going to get a drink.” Rey stated, standing up.

“Don’t cause any trouble.” Ben warned her.

“It’s just one drink, I’ll be good.” She winked, walking to the bar with an extra swing in her hips. She turned her head knowingly, causing Ben to blush again when he realized he had been unintentionally staring. That girl was going to be the death of him.

-

“I’ll take a Sex on the Beach.” She smiled at the bartender. A low whistle came from behind her. With an annoyed sigh, she turned around.

“If sex on the beach is all you want, baby, you can get that with me anytime.” A man with neatly combed red hair stood smirking in front of her. Rey barely restrained herself from slapping him.

“And unlike this drink, you won’t leave me wanting more.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be like that. Bourbon, neat for me, and a redheaded slut for the lady, please.” He winked suggestively, tossing a wad of bills onto the bar. Even the bartender could sense Rey’s irritation, but made the drink as he was told.

Ben’s eyes narrowed as he noticed Dominic Hux, a long time rival of his, unsuccessfully flirting with Rey. That ginger bastard. He moved to stand up, but stopped when he noticed a change in her demeanour. He recognized a familiar mischievous glint in her eyes. She was up to something.

Rey had an idea, realizing there was only one thing she should do.

“Oh, you sure know to leave a girl wondering.” She giggled shyly, tossing her hair.

“See? I knew you would come around, baby. They all do.” He grinned, leaning on the bar. Although her outward appearance betrayed nothing, on the inside, Rey was struggling not to gag at his lines.

“Wow, how many have there been?” She moved closer to him.

“Baby, if I listed all of my conquests, we’d be here all day. And I know of a better use for our time.” His eyes slowly scanned her body.

“Redheaded slut, bourbon neat and a Sex on the Beach.” The bartender placed both drinks down, confused at Rey’s new attitude.

“Really? Would it involve something like this?” She leaned in, eyes drifting to his lips. He closed his eyes, waiting for Rey to kiss him.

Taking the red drink, Rey dumped its contents all over him. Hux’s eyes flashed open, anger burning in his eyes and face turning almost as red as his hair.

“How’s that for a redheaded slut, _baby_?” She mocked. In an instant, Ben was at her side.

“Dom, I must say it’s not surprising to see you like this.” He couldn’t contain his amusement at seeing his rival like this.

“Ben, you, you’re with...her?” Hux sputtered, wiping the drink out of his eyes.

“This is my girlfriend, Rey.” He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to his side.

Hux glared before stomping off in a huff. Rey and Ben couldn’t help but almost collapse from laughter.

“Did you see his face?” She leaned against him for support.

“I wish I could have taken a photo!”

“Who the fuck was that anyway?” She asked.

“That ginger bastard was Dominic Hux, an old school rival of mine. He was always insanely jealous of my looks and grades.” He said proudly.

“Oh yeah, he’s definitely not as good looking as you.” Her eyes widened as she realized what she said. “You know, that’s why you’re my boyfriend and not him.”

_Nice save, idiot,_ she thought to herself.

“Good to know your other choice would have been Hux.” He sarcastically replied, hand pulling away from her side. She missed the warmth on his hand on her.

“You know what, just drink this and stop talking.” She passed him the bourbon, while reaching for her own drink. “No point in letting this go to waste.”

“You still have to meet the rest of my family; drink quickly.” He reminded her.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Rey relished the burn of alcohol as it ran down her throat. In no time at all, she had downed the glass’ contents, Ben finishing just as quickly. It left her feeling a slight buzz, but she was still able to think logically.

A tall, solemn faced woman with short blonde hair in a shining silver dress approached Ben and Rey.

“Benjamin.”

“Electra.”

“This is your girlfriend?” Her head nodded in Rey’s direction.

“I’m Rey Ridley. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled.

“Electra Phasma. Likewise.”

An uncomfortable silence passed. Rey’s fingers tapped nervously on her thigh.

“Are you enjoying the wedding?” She asked.

“It is acceptable. I wish the best for Jacen and Danielle.” Phasma said.

“Speaking of, we should offer them our congratulations. Excuse me, Electra.” Ben placed his hand at the small of Rey’s back.

“Benjamin. Rey.” She nodded before walking away.

Rey searched for an appropriate word to describe the woman she just met. “She’s very...”

“Boring?” Ben offered with a smirk.

“Serious.” She finished.

“She’s an army captain, and she takes it very seriously. But honestly, she was always like that, even when we were kids. Always tried to order me around.” His eyes narrowed at the memories.

“You’d know all about bossing people around.” She smirked.

“Just for that, we’re going to meet my grand-uncle Snoke now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um idk i haven't really been writing lately i'm sorry. and i probably could have planned this fic out a bit better. but what's done is done.
> 
> also we've got hux and phasma now! and some other new characters (get it? annie = ani(kin), amy = (ami(dala) *kind of*)
> 
> coolcephalopod.tumblr.com


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the slow updates :(  
> but i hope this longer chapter makes up for it!

Thaddeus Snoke was an old, wrinkly faced man with unusually pale skin. He looked thin and frail, yet still managed to exude an aura of intimidation from his wheelchair. His dark eyes seemed to stare menacingly into Rey’s very soul.

“Grand-uncle, this is my girlfriend, Rey Ridley.” Ben said.

“It’s very nice to meet you, sir.” Rey smiled.

“The girl, eh? She could be a good influence for you.” Snoke’s piercing gaze made Rey almost shudder as he scrutinized her.

“She already is.” Ben pulled her closer to his side, hand resting on her waist. Unlike his previous interactions with his family, she could tell his smile was forced.

“Your combined genetics could produce a genetically superior child.” He leaned forward, large hands resting on his knees.

Rey felt him stiffen against her. “That...won’t be for anytime soon.”

“Alright son, off with you now.” Snoke stared at the two of them before turning in his wheelchair and rolling away.

“Okay, he’s definitely the creepiest family member I’ve met so far.” Rey said as soon as Snoke was out of earshot.

“Definitely. But he’s old; we can’t do anything about it.” Ben shrugged. “He used to turn out the lights when people were still in the room. ‘Embrace the darkness,’ he said. He was creepy and weird even when I was a kid.”

“That’s just awful enough to be funny.” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

“It’s funny now, but terrifying to a kid. I was ten!” He couldn’t help but smile too.

“Oh, there you are. Why aren’t you kids dancing? It’s your last chance for slow dancing.” Leia walked up to them.

“We don’t want to miss that, do we?” Ben smiled at his mother before dragging Rey over to the dance floor. Her hands laced together behind his neck and his hands moved to her waist as the song played. It was a slow and gentle tune.

“I don’t really know how to dance.” She admitted.

“It’s fine, just sort of sway and move.” He said. Her eyes scanned the dance floor, only a few pairs were left. They simply held each other and moved to the beat.

She turned back to look at him. Her heels made her the perfect height for him to easily lean down and kiss her. She looked up, meeting his eyes. Had they always looked so vulnerable and warm? This didn’t go unnoticed by him.

It felt like an eternity of them simply staring into each other’s eyes.

“I think people are starting to stare.” She broke the silence, internal clock telling her the song, and their moment, was going to end.

“Let them. You’re my girlfriend.” He said it so quietly, he wasn’t sure if she could hear him. Her eyes drifted down to his lips. His eyes moved down to hers. They were so close together, they could feel each other’s breath. It was almost enough to make them forget that they weren’t really a couple. Almost.

The song ended, and everyone started to clap. They were the last two on the dance floor. Rey and Ben pulled apart, both turning the same shade of pink. Taking his hand, Rey smiled nervously, and walked back to their table.

_“It was just the alcohol.”_ They both thought. They would have been wrong.

-

The wedding cake was three-tiered, with pink scalloped buttercream all over it. Fondant rose petals surrounded the top tier, which held the cake topper. Rey’s mouth watered at the sight of it.

Together, Jacen and Danielle cut the first slice of cake. From there, the hotel’s staff took over, cutting and serving plates to the guests.

Rey groaned with pleasure as she took a bite. Red velvet was her favourite flavour of cake. Something about the cream cheese and the colour somehow made it so appealing to her.

A slight breeze swept through the room from the open windows, causing several waiters to rush over and shut them. Why were the windows left open when there was a snowstorm outside?

Rey sneezed softly. “Excuse me.”

“Ben, give her your jacket **.”** Leia ordered her son.

“It’s fine.” Rey said, but Ben was already taking off his jacket and draping it around her shoulders. “Thanks.”

Soon, all of the guests finished their serving of the wedding cake. The DJ started to play a fast-paced song, and several people moved to the dance floor. Rey and Ben stayed in their seats.

She twisted in her chair, facing away from the crowd of dancing guests.

“What time is it?” She asked.

“You want to leave already?” He glanced at his watch. “It’s four thirty.”

“No, just wondering.” She shrugged. “You haven’t introduced me to your grandmother yet.”

“Shit, you’re right.” He sat up straight, eyes scanning the room. “I think she must have left early.”

“I’m sorry.” She placed a hand on his forearm comfortingly.

“No, it’s my fault; I was distracted with other things. And she was so looking forward to meeting you.” He looked away from her.

Moments passed where neither of them spoke. Rey was so absorbed in her thoughts that she missed the emcee announcing the bouquet throw.

“Heads up.” Ben pointed in the direction behind her.

“What?” Rey spun around, realizing something was headed straight for her face. With finely-tuned reflexes, she snatched it out of the air. Shit. It was the wedding bouquet, composed of pink and white roses. All eyes were on her and Ben, who was torn between amusement and horror at its significance. “Fuck.”

-

“I’m pretty sure all of the single women were glaring at me.” Rey sighed, tossing the bouquet of flowers onto the sofa and shrugging off Ben’s jacket.

“And mother wouldn’t stop grinning at me.” Ben walked in behind her, loosening his tie. It was five in the afternoon, and the reception was over.

“God, I need some alcohol.” She kicked off her heels and flopped backwards onto the bed.

“Didn’t you already have enough downstairs?” He reminded her.

“No, I only had one glass. And that just led to us da...” She trailed off as she remembered the intimate moment they shared earlier.

Ben froze as he remembered dancing with her, and the odd emotion that welled up in his chest. The silence that ensued was painfully awkward.

“You know.” She spoke first. “It was nothing, really. Now your family will definitely be convinced that we’re dating.”

He released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Yeah, it was just in the heat of the moment. It didn’t mean anything.”

“Hey!” She called out before remembering that she wasn’t supposed to be offended. “I mean, yeah, we were both probably a little buzzed from those drinks.”

“Yeah, exactly.” He nodded.

“Anyway, wanna just stay in and watch movies?” Rey suggested.

“Oh, hell yeah. My family is exhausting.” He said.

She propped a pillow against the headboard and turned the TV on, while Ben moved to relax next to her, neither bothering to change out of their clothes.

-

“Dude, you can’t actually be afraid of this.” Rey stared at him incredulously.

“My dad chased me around the house in a Scream mask! That’s traumatizing for a kid!” He defended.

“Yeah, and you’re twenty-six now.” She smirked.

“You know what, just go back to your movie.”

-

It was at nine thirty that Rey’s stomach started to grumble.

“Hungry?” Ben asked.

“No shit. My stomach just likes to make sounds because it’s fun.” She rolled her eyes.

“Alright, chill out, cookie monster. I’ll order room service.”

Exactly thirty-five minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Ben wheeled in a cart of food composed of two steaks, with sides of mashed potatoes with gravy, peas, and carrots.

“Oh thank god, I’m starving.” Rey nearly tackled him for the food.

They continued to watch the movie as they ate, occasionally laughing at the ridiculousness of it, or in Ben’s case, horror at the mask that terrorized his childhood. By eleven, they had finished their Scream marathon.

“Let’s go swimming.” Ben suggested.

“It’s eleven at night, the pool’s closed by now.” Rey said.

“We can sneak in.”

“Just swim in the morning.”

“But people will be there in the morning.” He whined.

“I don’t know how to swim.” She admitted.

“But you live in Takodana! There’s water to swim in everywhere!” Ben was more than a little shocked. Takodana was known for its beautiful lakes that its citizens loved to swim around in.

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I know how to swim.”

“Fine, then you can just watch me swim.” He slung a towel over his shoulder.

“What? No, I’m staying here. And besides, it’s freezing outside.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Well, luckily the pool is indoors.” He smirked.

“Why do you need me to go with you? I’m not going to be swimming.”

“If we get caught, it’ll look better if you’re there. I’ll just look like a romantic fool trying to impress his girlfriend.” Ben gave her his best puppy eyes. “Rey, come on.”

“Okay, fine. But if you get me wet, I swear I’ll drown you.” She regretted the words as they came out of her mouth, silently praying that his mind wouldn’t turn right to the gutter.

“Oh, yeah, sure. I’ll try _not_ to get you wet.” He winked.

-

“You’d think that a hotel of this size would have better security.” Ben noted as Rey effortlessly picked the lock.

“Not even the greatest security system in the world could keep me out.” She slipped her bobby pins back into her hair.

“Good to know I’m dating a dangerous criminal.” They walked into the pool area.

“Hey, it’s just a useful skill. I’m not hurting anyone.”

She took her shoes off and sat at the edge of the pool, slightly lifting the skirt of her dress to dip her legs in the water. They didn’t bother to change out of their clothes from the reception. He tossed his towel on a nearby lounger, the rest of his clothes joining the pile after, leaving him just in his underwear. Rey again tried not to stare at his lack of clothing.

With a loud splash, Ben dove into the water. She watched the way the muscles on his back moved as he smoothly swam laps around the large pool.

After fifteen minutes of swimming, he waded his way over to where she sat, kicking at the water.

“You need to learn how to swim. I can teach you.” His muscular arms rested against the edge of the pool.

“We’re not even supposed to be in here.”

“You’re already halfway in the pool!” He pointed to her legs that were gently splashing around.

“Yeah, while I’m sitting on stable ground.” She said.

“Your loss.” He swam off to the other end of the pool.

Another ten minutes passed.

“Ben.” She called out.

“Ready to let me teach you?” He swam over and grinned.

“No, we should go. The security guard’s going to come by soon.” She got out and walked to where Ben’s towel was lying, using it to wipe down her legs.

“Oh, shit.” His eyes widened as he realized his problem.

“What?”

“I’ve been swimming around in my boxers...and I forgot to bring an extra pair down with me.” He awkwardly scratched at the back of his head.

“Oh my god.” She rolled her eyes. “Okay, we don’t have time for this. Just go without it.”

“Fucking damn it. Okay, just turn around.” He got out of the pool, hair sticking to the sides of his face and water dripping down his chest. The water seemed to further define the creases in his abdominal area, which was a fucking eight-pack. Rey allowed herself one quick glance before turning around. He took the towel from her and all she heard was shuffling as her eyes focused on a nautical themed piece of artwork on the wall. “Done.”

Rey turned back around to see Ben in the suit he wore down to the pool, holding his towel and underwear in one hand. His hair was damp, with the ends curled up.

“Let’s go.” They hurriedly walked out of the doorway, Rey picking up her heels on the way out. She quietly shoved Ben out of view as she spotted a security guard rounding the corner.

“What?” He hissed.

“Go, there’s a guard!” She ran past him.

-

They reached their room, dissolving into fits of giggles as they walked through the doorway.

“Oh, god.” Rey collapsed onto the bed, trying to catch her breath.

“Are you seriously out of breath?” Ben laughed.

“We just ran up six fucking flights of stairs, how are you not?” Her chest heaved with every deep inhalation.

“I have good stamina.” He smirked. She just rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, and you reek of chlorine, go take a shower.”

“As you wish, milady.” He bowed mockingly and went to the bathroom. Rey took the time to change into her pajamas. The TV was still on. Flipping through the several channels the hotel offered, she settled on an old romantic comedy.

Ben finished his shower, with only a towel resting low on his hips.

“Your turn.”

She rushed into the bathroom, but not before looking at his abs, this time able to stop herself from blushing. By the time she finished, Ben was dressed again, still choosing to forgo a shirt, and his long body stretched out of his side of the bed.

“Not tired?” She asked casually.

“Nope.” His eyes stayed on the TV screen. “Are you?”

“Running back here gave me too much of an adrenaline rush to sleep.” She walked over and flopped onto her side of her bed.

In the end, they decided to watch a comedy instead of sleeping. Rey’s laughter was so loud, Ben was sure she woke up half the hotel. It was late into the night when the movie finished. She turned the lights out while he shut off the TV.

“Goodnight.” She said.

“Goodnight.”

Minutes passed, yet Rey couldn’t fall asleep. She tried counting sheep and readjusting her pillow, but nothing seemed to work.

“Ben?” She whispered.

“Yeah?” He whispered back.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Me neither.”

“Wanna talk?”

“Sure.” He rolled onto his side to face her.

“What happened to your grandfather?” Maybe that wasn’t such a good question to start with, but it was too late to take back. “I mean, if you want to talk about him. It’s just that you never mentioned him when you were telling me about your family.”

Ben took a deep breath to try and calm his rapidly beating heart. He thought she would forget to ask.

“My grandpa, Anakin Skywalker, died when I was ten. He was, um, struck by lightning, which stopped his heart.” He kept his voice even, not wanting to cry in front of her.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It was such a long time ago, but it’s just that, I idolized him. And one day, he was gone.” He distracted himself by picking at a loose thread on the bed sheets. She said nothing, only moving her hand to rest comfortingly on his forearm.

“I’m fine.” Her hand stayed where it was.

“Anything else you’d like to know?” His words had the hint of a bitter edge to it, which she hardly noticed.

“What’s it like coming from such a big family?” She asked.

“Occasionally, suffocating.” He replied. “There are too many aunts and uncles and cousins to keep track of, and it’s always loud in the house.”

“I’m adopted.” She admitted. “My birth parents...were assholes. When I was five, they told me we were going to Disneyland. And I was so excited I couldn’t sleep. So I fell asleep on the plane. The next thing I knew, I woke up and the Ridleys were my new parents. They didn’t even have the courage to tell me while I was awake.”

“The worst part is, I used to keep track of every day that they were gone. I thought they’d come back for me.” She stared at the ceiling, not wanting to see his pitying gaze. Her hand moved away to lay by her side.

“You’re better off without them.” He said. “They wouldn’t have deserved you.”

“Thanks.” She offered him a sincere smile before letting out a yawn.

“Goodnight, Rey.” He said.

“Goodnight, Ben.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooooh what'll happen next now that the wedding is over???
> 
> coolcephalopod.tumblr.com


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i haven't updated lately!
> 
> also if any of you have seen the proposal you'll probably figure out how this is gonna go ;)

It was eleven in the morning. Rey was lying down on the bed, fingers tapping away at her phone while Ben was repacking his suitcase. The silence was only broken by the low hum of the TV.

“You know, you never got to show me around Hoth.” She said, eyes still glued to her phone.

“What’s there to show? Hoth is just snow all around.” He looked over at her.

“Yeah, but I never get to travel.” She sighed.

He opened his mouth to respond, but stopped when he heard the TV. Walking over, Ben turned up the volume on the TV, which was tuned to the weather channel.

“...a freezing minus two degrees Celsius and it is expected to drop down to below ten overnight. Today’s forecast calls for a devastating snowstorm with a high of minus ten and a low of minus twenty. Don’t plan on leaving the house for the next few days, folks. The Hoth International Airport has declared that no flights will be leaving or entering until the storm lets up. Now, back to Karen in sports.” The weather report finished.

“Well, shit.” Ray sat up. Guess their flight was canceled. They were due to check out today, and she wasn’t looking forward to staying in a stuffy hotel room for another few days.

As if he heard her unspoken thoughts, Ben spoke. “I know where we could go.”

-

“We used to spend our vacations here.” Ben rang the doorbell. He knew that his parents and other relatives were staying there.

“Wow.” Rey’s eyes were alight with wonder as she stepped onto the porch. The house was huge, with its seemingly endless backyard and three intimidating stories, overlooking a currently frozen lake.

“Hey, it’s my favourite cousin and my favourite cousin’s girlfriend!” The door opened to reveal Jaina standing in the doorway wearing an oversized sweater.

“I’m your only cousin.” Ben rolled his eyes.

“Ben!” Two sets of hurried footsteps bounded down the stairs to reveal Annie and Amy running at Ben. They rushed up to him and each grabbed one leg.

“Hey, kids.” He smiled at them, ruffling their hair. A warm feeling bloomed in Rey’s chest at the sight.

“Will you play with us?” Annie asked. An uncomfortable sense of déjà vu washed over Rey as she was reminded of _The Shining_. She barely suppressed a shiver.

“Girls, why don’t you let go of Ben so he and his girlfriend don’t freeze to death outside.” Jaina mistook Rey’s shiver as an effect of the freezing weather. Rey smiled gratefully anyway.

The twins let go of Ben. He and Rey carried their suitcases into the cozy foyer of the house. The interior had a very rustic charm, with its exposed brick, warm brown tones and wood paneling.

“Wait, you’ve got a little something in your hair.” Rey reached up to brush off the small snowflakes that had landed in his dark hair.

“Thanks.” His cheeks flushed.

“Aw, you kids are so cute!” Jaina squealed.

“You’re only four years older than me.” Ben rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, but I’ve already got two kids. Something you guys should be thinking about?” She grinned suggestively.

“They’re twins, practically one unit. So the amount of kids you have shouldn’t mean you’re more mature.” He hated whenever she made him feel like a child.

“And we’re not even married.” Rey added.

“Yet.” Jaina smiled.

“I don’t know if I want to marry him. I mean, he snores in his sleep.” Rey linked her fingers with Ben’s, and winked teasingly at him.

“Hm, unfortunate, considering you’re going to share a room. Oh, and just something to remember: my kids’ room is directly below yours, don’t scar them for life.” She leaned in, voice lowered so only Rey and Ben could hear her. They both turned equal shades of red at her words. “Okay girls, do you want to show Ben and Rey to their room?”

 “Okay!” They said in unison. Each twin grabbed one hand, forcing Rey and Ben to separate so they could carry their suitcases. They slipped off their boots before going upstairs.

Their bedroom was located on the third floor of the house. A fireplace was opposite their king sized bed, which had several thick blankets and fluffy pillows on it. The glass door led to the balcony, which had a view of the backyard that led into the sprawling forest. At one end of the room was the door to the ensuite bathroom.

“Here we are!” Amy, who was holding Rey’s hand, announced with a flourish of her hand.

“Very nice.” Rey nodded as she set her suitcase down. Her stomach gave off a low rumble.

Jaina appeared in the doorway. “Lunch is ready, if you guys are hungry.”

“Starving.” Rey shrugged off her winter jacket, tossing it onto the bed.

-

Luke and Leia were laughing loudly over a joke Han had made. Annie and Amy ate their brunch of scrambled eggs, tater tots and sausages, while Mara Jade, Jaina, and her husband Philip talked at one end of the table. Ben led Rey to where Padmé sat.

“Grandma, this is my girlfriend, Rey Ridley.” Ben introduced. Padmé’s eyes lit up at the sight of Rey and Ben holding hands.

“Mrs. Skywalker, it’s very nice to meet you!” Rey smiled widely.

“Oh, you can call me grandma. You’re part of the family now.” Padmé grinned at her, moving to stand in front of the couple. Rey’s heart swelled with warmth as she heard the word ‘family.’

“Thanks...grandma.” Rey tested out the unfamiliar word.

“Good. Come, sit with me.” She pulled her away from Ben and led to the seat next to her. “Ben, get your girlfriend some food.”

“Yes, grandma.” He almost sighed, but walked into the kitchen anyway.

“So, Rey. Leia told me all about how you and Ben started dating. That boy is terrible at flirting, just like his grandfather.” She shook her head fondly.

“Sometimes he’s an idiot, but he’s sweet.” Rey tried to sound like she was in love. Staying with his family for who knows how long gave them more chances to expose themselves, so she needed to be as convincing as possible.

“Hey, I was at the top of my class!” Ben walked back into the dining room, carrying two steaming plates of food, and set one down in front of her. He sat next to her, his own plate in front of him.

“Actually, I’m sure that was me. And I got a higher mark than you on the final.” She smirked at him.

“Nope, impossible.” He shook his head. “I scored ninety-seven on that.”

“I got ninety-eight.” She grinned proudly, success shining in her eyes.

“Okay, but that still doesn’t mean I wasn’t at the top of my class.” He pouted slightly.

“Oh, Ben. Just accept that I’m better than you in something.” She said, snatching a tater tot off of his plate and popping it into her mouth. He just rolled his eyes and took one of her sausages.

“Don’t they remind you of a certain bickering couple?” Luke smirked at his sister.

“Hey, the princess and I never fought like that.” Han put an arm around Leia, to which she just rolled her eyes at.

“Ah, to be young again.” Padmé said to no one in particular, smiling at the young couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so for the next week or so i'm probably gonna be pretty overwhelmed with projects and stuff so i may not update but i will try!!
> 
> coolcephalopod.tumblr.com


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm really sorry it took me this long to update! school has just been overwhelming but now that it's spring break i'll hopefully have more time to write!

After lunch, Padmé asked Rey to follow her into the privacy of the living room, where they were away from the rest of the family.

“My dear, I want to give you something.” Padmé took a small box out from her pocket. She opened it to reveal a necklace with a pendant that looked like it had taken hours to carefully carve the design in.

“Grandma?” Rey tilted her head in confusion.

“Anakin, Ben’s grandfather, made this for me when we were young. He said it would bring me luck and keep me safe. He wanted me to think of him whenever I wore it.” Padmé explained. She took a deep breath before continuing. “But when Anakin died, I couldn’t even look at it without crying.”

“I’m sorry.” She patted her hand in a comforting gesture.

“I want you to have it.” Padmé placed the box in Rey’s hand, smiling at her.

“Oh no, I couldn’t. Something like this is too important to give away.” She shook her head, buns bobbing along with the movement.

“I’m not giving it away, I’m giving it to you.” She curled the younger woman’s fingers around the box. “You’re dating our Ben. That means you’re a part of our family now.”

Tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes at the mention of family. Partly because she had never truly felt like she belonged with the Ridleys, and partly because she and Ben weren’t really dating, and that they were lying to this new family that had already accepted her as one of their own.

“I...thank you.” Rey gripped the other woman in a tight hug, hoping that she understood the significance of it. She knew the message was received when Padmé patted her on the back.

-

“You know you’re going to lose, right?” Rey grinned as she tested the weight of the branch in her hand.

Annie and Amy wanted to play outside, so Jaina asked Rey and Ben to accompany them, making sure they wouldn’t go too deep into the massive forest, or fall into the lake.

“Sure, keep thinking that.” He scoffed, waving around his own branch experimentally. She challenged him to a swordfight – with branches – while the twins were busy creating a snowman army. Everything just had to be a competition between them. Rey was only too excited to beat him at something again.

“It’s just a game!” Annie called from behind one of the snowmen she was building.

“But Rey’s going to win!” Amy shot Rey a thumbs-up, and the older woman smiled gratefully.

“Amy!” Ben had a look of mock-horror on his face. “I’m your cousin!”

 “When you and Rey get married, she’ll be our cousin too.” Amy shrugged.

“Get ready to lose, Solo.” Rey smirked at him. They stood a few feet away from each other.

“In your dreams, Ridley.”

“First to three hits wins. Ready, set, go!” Annie signalled the beginning of the fight, and Ben rushed forward, branch poised above his head, intending to strike Rey in the shoulder. She blocked it with her own weapon, and did a spin, ending up behind him. She smacked him in the side, eliciting a yelp from him.

“Point, Rey.” Amy said.

Ben turned around and actually _growled_ at her. Rey just smirked, eyes filled with amusement.

“Come on, Solo, I thought you were supposed to be good at this.” She taunted.

“Eat a dick, Ridley.” He swung the branch up, narrowly missing her arm as she moved back.

“Mom says that’s a bad word.” Annie stood by the snowman, hands on her hips with a disapproving look on her face.

“Trust me, she’s said worse.” Ben said, blocking an attack from Rey.

Their match went on for a while, the two of them evenly matched in their ability to wield a branch. At some point, Rey fled into the forest after slipping in the snow and getting hit in the thigh. They were at a tie, with only one more hit standing in the way of either’s victory.

“Come out come out wherever you are.” Ben called in an attempt to draw her out. Yeah, like she’d ever fall for that.

Rey held her breath as she flattened her body against the fallen trunk of a tree. She had dropped her weapon a few trees back, and she was definitely going to lose if he found her.

The soft crunch of footsteps on the snow signalled that he was getting closer. Still remaining behind the cover of the tree, she started to form some of the snow into a clump, the wet seeping into her gloves. She would wait until he was right above her cover, and then attack him with a snowball.

“Rey, I know you’re here somewhere.” He said.

It seemed like an eternity as she waited for him to be close enough to the tree.

Ben stopped in front of the fallen tree, looking left and right and even looking up to see if she climbed up. Rey saw this as her chance; she popped up from her cover and smashed the snowball into his face.

“Jesus fuck!” He coughed, some of the snow having gotten into his mouth.

“I win!” She cheered, jumping around in joy.

“You’re a cheater!”

“First, we’re not twelve, no one uses the word cheater anymore.” She rolled her eyes playfully. “Second, it was first to three hits. That definitely counted as a hit.”

“Fuck off.” He angrily thrust the branch in her direction.

“Accept it, I won and I’m amazing.” She stepped onto the tree, the trunk being too big for her to simply walk over, when she lost her footing from a patch of slippery ice that had frosted over. Her arms flailed around wildly, desperate not to fall, when she latched onto his neck and his arms automatically went around her waist.

Her eyes closed, waiting for the rough impact with the snowy floor. They slammed onto the ground, Rey taking the brunt of it as she was underneath him. Her eyes opened to find Ben’s face dangerously close, the tip of his nose brushing against hers. Her arms were still locked together around his neck, but she couldn’t move them. Despite the freezing temperatures of Hoth, and the snow creeping its way into her clothes, she felt her body temperature rising. Heat crept up her cheeks and all she could see were his eyes. They weren’t black like his soul, something she previously believed, but instead a warm brown.

“Guess that wasn’t the only time I’d be on top.” He chuckled lightly, referencing the time he woke her up.

She rolled her eyes, using her body weight to reverse their positions. Her arms grabbed his wrists and held them down against the snow. She was practically straddling him, her legs on either side of his hips.

“Those were rare occurrences, don’t expect it to be a usual thing.” A triumphant smirk appeared on her face, which was mere inches from his.

Red bloomed across his face, and his eyes had an almost glazed look to them as he took in the sight of her sitting on top of him. His lips were slightly parted as he took shallow breaths. She decided that she liked that look on him, full of adoration and awe. But something poking at her backside brought her back to reality.

“Oh my god, really?” She scrambled to get off of him, choosing to sit and lean against the tree trunk.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, I can’t help it.” He sat up, refusing to look in her direction. “It’s just that, I have a thing for people being on top, so...”

“See, I knew you weren’t cut out to be on top.” She teased.

“Oh god, can we never talk about this again?” He groaned, covering his face with his hands.

“Yeah, I’ll keep your secret.” She laughed and stood up, dusting the snow off of her pants. “Come on, we’re supposed to be watching Annie and Amy.”

But it was all Rey could think about on the walk back to the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooo what'll happen next??
> 
> coolcephalopod.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> yoo guess what it's me and i'm here with that fake relationship au you never knew you needed!? but yeah i've got about 5 chapters written so far :)
> 
> (oh yeah and idk i'll update the character tags as i post new chapters)
> 
> coolcephalopod.tumblr.com


End file.
